This gives me so much hope! I'm dealing with a WEP nightmare too - been fighting for 2 years over their calculation. They keep applying the maximum reduction even though I have 25 years of substantial earnings which should reduce the penalty significantly. The worst part is every time I call, I get someone different who acts like they've never heard of WEP before. One rep literally told me "that's just how the system calculates it" when I tried to explain their error. So frustrating! I'm definitely going to try asking for a Technical Expert on my next call. I didn't know that was even an option. And thank you for sharing about documenting everything - I've been writing things down but not getting employee IDs. That's a great tip. Really crossing my fingers that your correction goes through without needing the ALJ hearing. $740/month is huge! Please update us on what happens when you call back. Stories like yours keep me motivated to keep fighting this broken system.

This thread is incredibly helpful! I've been lurking here for months dealing with my own WEP disaster. My case is a bit different - I'm a federal retiree with CSRS pension, and SSA has been applying WEP to reduce my benefits even though I have 32 years of substantial Social Security earnings, which should completely exempt me from any WEP reduction. The most maddening part is that I've submitted all the documentation multiple times showing my substantial earnings history, but they keep sending back letters saying my calculation is "correct" without any explanation of how they arrived at their numbers. Reading about everyone's experiences with Technical Experts is eye-opening - I had no idea I could specifically request someone with WEP expertise. I've been getting bounced around to regular customer service reps who clearly don't understand the nuances of these calculations. @Melody - your story gives me so much hope that there might actually be competent people at SSA who can fix these messes! I'm definitely going to try the approach of asking for a Technical Expert and having all my documentation ready in a one-page summary format. Has anyone had success getting their case escalated to a supervisor when the regular reps don't seem to understand WEP exemptions? I feel like I need someone with actual authority to override whatever is causing their system to keep applying the wrong reduction.

One more important point: If your husband is a veteran, check with the VA as well. There may be additional survivor benefits available through them that are separate from Social Security. Also, once you're on survivor benefits, you'll still get the annual Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) that Social Security provides. And if you're not already enrolled in Medicare, that's something else to consider as you approach 65.

I want to add something that might be helpful - consider contacting your local Area Agency on Aging. They often have Social Security experts who can help you understand your benefits and even assist with applications at no cost. They're usually much easier to reach than SSA directly and can provide personalized guidance for your situation. Many also offer grief counseling and other support services that might be valuable during this difficult time. You can find your local agency at eldercare.acl.gov. Wishing you and your husband strength during this challenging period.

I'm a disability advocate and wanted to share some additional insights that might help. The wait times vary significantly by hearing office - some are as short as 4-6 months while others can stretch to 12+ months. You can actually look up your specific hearing office's average processing time on SSA's website to get a better estimate. One thing I always tell families is to document EVERYTHING during this waiting period. Keep a daily log of your daughter's challenges, meltdowns, assistance she needs, etc. This real-time documentation can be incredibly powerful evidence that shows her consistent limitations rather than just a snapshot from medical appointments. For the hearing itself, I'd strongly recommend requesting accommodations in writing well before the hearing date. This should include having you present to assist with communication, allowing breaks if she becomes overwhelmed, and using simple language. Don't just rely on verbal requests the day of the hearing. Regarding DAC benefits - this is actually a separate application process, but the disability determination from your SSDI hearing can be used for the DAC claim. If approved, DAC benefits are often higher than what someone would get on their own record, especially for someone young with limited work history. Your attorney should be explaining all of this clearly. If they're not, don't hesitate to ask pointed questions or even consider getting a second opinion. You're your daughter's best advocate in this process!

I'm going through a similar situation with my adult son who has autism and intellectual disability. We're about 6 months into our hearing wait after reconsideration denial, and I completely understand your anxiety about the process. A few things that have helped us prepare: First, I started keeping a detailed journal of his daily challenges and needs for assistance - things like needing reminders to eat, getting overwhelmed by changes in routine, difficulty with phone calls or paperwork. This documentation has been invaluable for showing his real-world limitations. For the hearing anxiety, our attorney suggested we could request a "pre-hearing conference" where we briefly meet the judge beforehand so my son can get familiar with them before the actual hearing. This might help your daughter feel less anxious about speaking to a stranger. Also, regarding your comment about her potentially saying what she thinks people want to hear - this is SO common with people who have intellectual disabilities. Make sure your attorney understands this "masking" behavior and can explain it to the judge. We've been practicing with my son that it's okay to say "I don't know" or "I need help with that" rather than just agreeing. One practical tip: bring a comfort item or fidget tool for your daughter if that helps her self-regulate during stressful situations. Most judges are understanding about these accommodations. The waiting is absolutely the hardest part, but you're doing everything right by getting an attorney and preparing thoroughly. Your advocacy for your daughter is clear in every word you've written.

Thank you all for the thoughtful responses. After reading through everything, I think I'll take the following approach: 1. Talk to my doctor next week about whether my condition meets SSA's disability criteria and get their opinion on filing for SSDI 2. Make sure my part-time hours keep me under the SGA limit while applying 3. Begin the SSDI application process and see what happens 4. If denied, I'll still have my original plan of taking early retirement at 62 The potential financial difference between SSDI and early retirement seems significant enough to at least try applying. Even if it's a long process, I've still got almost 2 years before I turn 62, so there's time to navigate the system. I really appreciate all the personal experiences and expertise shared here!

As someone who recently went through a similar decision process, I'd strongly recommend documenting everything about your medical condition and work limitations NOW, before you apply. Keep a daily log of symptoms, bad days, how your condition affects your work performance, etc. I made the mistake of applying without thorough documentation and got denied initially. Had to go through the appeals process with much better records the second time around. Also, consider getting a functional capacity evaluation from your doctor - SSA really values objective medical evidence about what you can and can't do work-wise. Your plan sounds solid, but be prepared for the process to take longer than expected. I'd also suggest applying online rather than over the phone - the SSA website lets you save your progress and you have more control over the information you provide. Good luck! The financial difference really is worth pursuing, especially since you have that backup plan at 62.

I went through this exact calculation with my mom when my dad passed in 2019. She was born in 1957 so her survivor FRA was 66 and 6 months. What really helped us was creating a spreadsheet to compare the monthly benefit amounts at different claiming ages. Don't forget that once you start receiving survivor benefits, you'll also get annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), so starting a bit earlier might make sense depending on your financial situation. Also, survivor benefits aren't subject to the earnings test once you reach your survivor FRA, which is different from regular retirement benefits. The SSA representatives can run benefit estimates for you at different ages if you call with your husband's Social Security number and death certificate information.

I work at a local SSA field office and deal with survivor benefit calculations daily. Yes, SSA absolutely prorates survivor benefits by month - there's no waiting until the next age milestone. However, I want to clarify something important that might be confusing you. The percentages you mentioned (91.86% at 65, 95.93% at 66) seem to be from a general chart, but your actual calculation depends on YOUR specific Full Retirement Age for survivor benefits based on your birth year. If you were born in 1958, your survivor FRA is 66 and 8 months, which means at 66 and 6 months you'd actually get about 99.125% of your husband's benefit (only a 0.875% reduction for being 2 months early). I'd recommend calling SSA with your husband's information to get your exact benefit estimate at different claiming ages - they can run scenarios for you. The difference between using the wrong FRA assumption versus your actual FRA could be significant over time.